intended
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- intendedly adverb
- intendedness noun
- quasi-intended adjective
- unintended adjective
- unintendedly adverb
Etymology
Origin of intended
Explanation
Something intended is done on purpose. The intended outcome of a meeting is the result that everyone is planning and hoping for. A robber's intended victim is the person whose purse he means to snatch, and the intended destination of a hot air balloon is the spot where its pilot expects to land. An old-fashioned way to use this word is as a noun, meaning "fiancee" or "person I plan to marry." Intended comes from the verb intend, or "plan," from the Latin intendere, "turn one's attention" or "have as a plan."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The president said he had intended to look like a doctor, and later deleted the image.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
When the NFL draft begins on Thursday night, Commissioner Roger Goodell will hardly need to glance at an index card to know that the Raiders intended to use the first overall pick on Mendoza.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
Another letter was also submitted, however, and it wasn’t intended to assist Sanberg.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
"The circus would like to emphasise that these requests are made in the interest of safety and are never intended to cause offence or result in a negative experience."
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
Any show of effort by the twins was as rare as a great comet, and she intended to take advantage.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
